Have Happy Hour At Home With The Help Of These Fire Cocktails
Big fact: 2020 has driven us to drink. Word on the street is that we all may be in Alcoholics Anonymous by the end of the year.
Truth be told, I have had more virtual happy hours with my friends and coworkers than I did before the quarantine. Although we're not suggesting you drink like a fish, a good drink every once in a while can help you escape from the realities of today. We are not only grieving the absence of normalcy here, we also want to continue to celebrate birthdays, weddings, baby showers, graduations and just being alive at this point. Be it a happy hour at Club Zoom or in your VIP section in Club Quarantine with DJ Dnice on the 1s and 2s, we want to equip you with some easy drank recipes that will turn you into a true mixologist as you tackle self-isolation like a boss.
Keep your spirits up with these fire cocktails!
White Wine Sangria
As I have aged like wine, Sangria has become my go-to beverage. It's light, refreshing and gets me just the right amount of wine drunk.
What You'll Need:
- 2 cups sliced Strawberries
- 1 Orange, sliced
- 1 cup loosely packed Basil
- 2 Lime, sliced
- 1 bottle Chardonnay (White Wine)
- ½ cup Tequila
- 3 cups Sparkling Water or Soda
For the full recipe, click here.
Whiskey Sour Punch
Whiskey Sours remind me of college and bad decisions. Despite the nostalgia, they are quite tasty.
What You'll Need:
- 2 1/2 cups orange juice
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1-1 1/2 cups triple sec
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3 cups Sprite
For the full recipe, click here.
Kentucky Lemonade
If Beyonce's Lemonade album was a drink, this would be it.
What You'll Need:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from approximately 6 lemons)
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2-2/3 cup Bourbon (or whatever your heart desires)
- 6 cups ginger ale
- additional lemon slices (for garnish)
For the full recipe, click here.
Vodka & Cranberry Blush Cocktail
Meet the adult version of the Vodka-Cranberry we all know and love.
What You'll Need:
- Cranberries
- 200ml/7fl oz each vodka and Cointreau
- 600ml cranberry juice
- 400ml orange juice
- Strips of peel from 2-3 limes
- Crushed ice, to serve
For the full recipe, click here.
Spicy Blood Orange Margarita
Time to put the full-blooded in blood orange! The sweet but tart phenom adds the perfect amount of flavor and color to any drink. And with margaritas being the classic of all classics, it's time we marry the two.
What You'll Need:
- 2 blood oranges
- 1/2 lime
- 1 1/2 ounces tequila
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1/4 jalapeño pepper seeds removed and sliced
- Salt for rim of glass
For the full recipe, click here.
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Featured image by Shutterstock
Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime